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Feminist Theory

Feminist Theory. By: Melanie Lord, Anthony Greiter & Zuflo Tursunovic. Feminism. Belief in the social, political, and economic equality of the sexes. The movement organized around this belief. Feminism. Feminist Theory is an outgrowth of the general movement to empower women worldwide.

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Feminist Theory

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  1. Feminist Theory By: Melanie Lord, Anthony Greiter & Zuflo Tursunovic

  2. Feminism • Belief in the social, political, and economic equality of the sexes. • The movement organized around this belief.

  3. Feminism • Feminist Theory is an outgrowth of the general movement to empower women worldwide. • Feminism can be defined as a recognition and critique of male supremacy combined with efforts to change it.

  4. Feminism • The goals of feminism are: • To demonstrate the importance of women • To reveal that historically women have been subordinate to men • To bring about gender equity.

  5. Feminism • Simply put: Feminists fight for the equality of women and argue that women should share equally in society’s opportunities and scare resources.

  6. History • You tube video • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pq_9wu-KjTk&feature=related

  7. History • The origins of the feminist movement are found in the abolitionist movement of the 1830’s. • Seneca Falls, New York is said to be the birthplace of American feminism.

  8. History • Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott spearheaded the first Women’s Rights Convention in Seneca Falls, NY in 1848. • The convention brought in more than 300 people. • The discussion was focused on the social, civil, and religious condition of women.

  9. History • The convention lead to the Declaration of Sentiments. • Modeled after the Declaration of Independence. • All men and women created equal. • Spoke of the supremacy of man in regards to divorce and education

  10. History • The convention marked a 22 year battle to gain women the right to vote in the United States. • In 1920 women won the right to vote.

  11. History • In Germany the feminists were fighting for the right of women to engage in sexual relations regardless of marital and legal consideration. • Marianne Weber (the wife of Max Weber) was a feminist

  12. History • Weber thought that women should be treated equally in the social institution of marriage, along with all the other social institutions. • She made it clear that marriage was between a man and a woman

  13. History • The contemporary feminism movement began in the 1960’s. • Free love helped escape the sexual double standard. • Divorce became commonplace • Women were “happy housewives” no more • Higher level employment and fulfillment outside the home were becoming the norm

  14. Liberal Feminism • All people are created equal and should not be denied equality of opportunity because of gender • Liberal Feminists focus their efforts on social change through the construction of legislation and regulation of employment practices

  15. Liberal Feminism • Inequality stems from the denial of equal rights. • The primary obstacle to equality is sexism.

  16. Marxist Feminism • Division of labor is related to gender role expectations. • Females give birth. Males left to support family • Bourgeoisie=Men • Proletariat=Women

  17. Radical Feminism • Male power and privilege is the basis of social relations • Sexism is the ultimate tool used by men to keep women oppressed

  18. Radical Feminism • Women are the first oppressed group • Women's oppression is the most widespread • Women’s oppression is the deepest

  19. Radical Feminism • Women’s oppression causes the most suffering • Women’s oppression provides a conceptual model for understanding all other forms of oppression

  20. Radical Feminism • Men control the norms of acceptable sexual behavior • Refusing to reproduce is the most effective way to escape the snares • Speak out against all social structures because they are created by men

  21. Socialist Feminism • Views women’s oppression as stemming from their work in the family and the economy • Women’s inferior position is the result of class-based capitalism • Socialist believe that history can be made in the private sphere (home) not just the public sphere (work)

  22. Socialist Feminism • Arguments: • An increased emphasis on the private sphere and the role of women in the household • Equal opportunities for women in the public sphere

  23. Postmodern Feminism • Attempts to criticize the dominant order. • All theory is socially constructed. • Rejects claim that only rational, abstract thought and scientific methodology can lead to valid knowledge.

  24. Postmodern Feminism • The basic idea is that looking to the past is no longer the way to go. We are a global economic world highlighted by technology. Looking to the past no longer applies.

  25. Dorothy E. Smith

  26. Dorothy E. Smith(1926- ) • Earned BA from London School of Economics • Earned PhD in sociology from University of California at Berkeley • Husband left her with two children • Worked at Berkeley (where most professors were male) and in England as a lecturer

  27. Dorothy E. SmithMethods • Concept of bifurcation • “conceptual distinction between the world as we experience it and the world as we know it through he conceptual frameworks that science invents” • Believes mainstream sociology has not touched on women’s experiences

  28. Dorothy E. SmithMethods • Suggested a reorganization that is a sociology for, rather than about, women • Leads to a bifurcated consciousness or an actual representation • States that a subjective reality is the only way to know human behavior • Interviewing, recollection of work experience, use of archives, observation, etc.

  29. Dorothy E. SmithFamily • North American family – legally married couple sharing a household • Male earns the primary income and female cares for family and household • Ideals reinforced by Martha Stewart, Home and Gardens, etc. • Today’s family presents many variations • Found that many women get caught up in the role that society expects of them

  30. Dorothy E. SmithSchooling • Found a lack of interest in issues concerning girls and women in schooling • Universities and colleges have incorporated successful programs, but public schools have not • Would like to see a change to allow girls a larger say in school dynamics

  31. Sandra Harding

  32. Sandra Harding(1935- ) • Professor of women’s studies at UCLA • Directs Center for the Study of Women • Author or editor of ten books • Given over 200 lectures at universities and conferences • Written in such areas as feminist theory, sociology of knowledge, and methodological issues related to objectivity and neutrality

  33. Sandra HardingFeminist Theory • Criticizes all sociological theories claiming they are all gender-biased • Criticizes feminist theory as well • Western, bourgeois, heterosexual, white women • Does not believe in a universal theory • Theory is possible so long as “normal” science is not used • Promotes “good science” instead of that produced by a masculine bias – “science as usual”

  34. Sandra HardingFeminist Theory • Ignores empirical data • Believes all males and whites benefit from ascribed status • Invisible knapsack • No man can renounce gender privilege as no white can renounce racist privilege • Social theory must be created by women and include issues central to women

  35. Sandra HardingSociology of Knowledge • Knowledge was created from a male’s standpoint and is biased • Sexist distortions must be rooted out if an accurate sociology of knowledge is to exist • History should be herstory to reflect ignored and trivialized women’s contributions to science • Lack of women in academia does not exist today – sign of growing power

  36. Sandra HardingNeutrality and Objectivity • Sciences confronted with demise of objectivism and threat of relativism • Objectivist methods encouraged to eliminate social and political values • Academia is affected by subjectivity interfering with “good science” • Encourages women to stop disagreeing among themselves and enter science

  37. Patricia Hill Collins

  38. Patricia Hill Collins(1948- ) • BA from Brandeis, MA from Harvard, and PhD from Brandeis • Associate professor of sociology and African American studies at University of Cincinnati • Outsider within – one is part of a group but feels distant from that group

  39. Patricia Hill CollinsFeminist Theory and Methodology • Focus of sociological theory should be the “outsider” groups • Especially those that lack a “voice” • Promotes using subjective analysis of the concrete experiences • Agrees with Harding on white/male interest • Believes emotional concepts are important • Individuals have their own reality constructs that are linked to the groups to which they belong

  40. Patricia Hill CollinsBlack Feminism • Outside within status of black slaves • Black feminist though consists of ideas produced by black women clarifying standpoint for and of black women • Three key themes in black feminism: • The Meaning of Self-Definition and Self-Valuation • The Interlocking Nature of Oppression • The Importance of African-American Women’s Culture

  41. Patricia Hill CollinsBlack Feminism • The Meaning of Self-Definition and Self-Valuation • Self-Definition – Challenging the political knowledge validation process bringing stereotypical images of Afro-American womanhood • Self-Valuation – stresses the content of Black women’s self-definitions

  42. Patricia Hill CollinsBlack Feminism • The Interlocking Nature of Oppression • Gender, race, and class are interconnected • Society has attempted to teach black women that racism, sexism, and poverty are inevitable • Keep black women oppressed • Awareness will help black women unite their fight against oppression and discrimination

  43. Patricia Hill CollinsBlack Feminism • The Importance of African-American Women’s Culture • Efforts to redefine and explain importance of Black women’s culture • Uncovered new Black female experience • Identified social relations where Afro-American women pass on essentials to coping with oppression

  44. Patricia Hill CollinsBlack Feminism • Sociological significance in two areas: • Content of ideas has been influenced by on-going dialogue in many sociological societies • Process by which these ideas were produced • Women are gaining more of a “voice” • Black women are still more accepted as authors in the classroom, than as teachers

  45. Carol Gilligan

  46. Carol Gilligan(1936- ) • Psychologist and feminist thinker • Influenced by Sigmund Freud, Jean Piaget, and Lawrence Kohlberg • AB in English Lit from Swarthmore College • AM in Clinical Psych from Radcliffe College • PhD from Harvard University • Taught at University of Chicago, and Harvard University

  47. Carol GilliganDevelopmental Theory • Masculine bias is prevalent • Human moral development comes in stages directly influenced by Piaget: • Sensorimotor Stage (birth to 2yrs) – physical contact, out of sight, out of mind • Preoperational Stage (2 to 7) – object permanence, egocentrism • Concrete Operational Stage (7-12) – intellectual development, lacks skills of abstractness • Formal Operation Stage (12+) – think abstractly and perceive analogies, uses complex language

  48. Carol GilliganDevelopmental Theory • Work with Kohlberg • Noticed males were reluctant to discuss feelings • Assessed as morally undeveloped • Men and women do have differences in moral reasoning • Justice v. Care orientation • Justice – attention to problems of inequality and holds equal respect • Care – attention to problems of detachment and holds response to need • Moral injustices – do not treat others unfairly or turn on those in need

  49. Carol GilliganStages of Moral Development for Women • Orientation to Individual Survival (Preconventional Morality) • Individual survival – no feeling of should • Goodness as Self-Sacrifice (Conventional Morality) • Defined by ability to care for others • Responsibility for Consequences of Choice (Postconventional Morality) • Choice and willingness to take responsibility for that choice = moral decision

  50. Carol GilliganGiving Voice to Women • Freud and Piaget’s theories treat women like men • Different voice needs to be heard • Adolescent girls’ voices • When quiet in relationships, depression and eating disorders enter • When outspoken in relationships, others find it difficult to remain in the relationship

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